Literary Terms Flashcards
What is Authors Purpose?
The reasoning behind why the author wrote the piece.
Ex: Persuade, Inform, Explain and Entertain.
What are Rhetorical Devices?
Use of language that is intended to have effect on its audience.
Ex: repetition and figurative language
Gettysburg: we cannot…
What is a symbol?
A person, place, an object, or an activity that stands for something beyond itself.
Ex: In Gettysburg: battlefield= brave
What is a theme?
The central idea or underlying message that the writer wants to understand.
Ex: The theme of Gettysburg is reunification.
What is an Inference?
A logical assumption or conclusion that is based on observed facts and one’s own knowledge and experience.
Ex: In Night Calls I can infer that the girl’s dad is an alcoholic because she says he smells like brandy.
What is Parallelism?
When the same patterns of words or structures are used to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance.
Ex: Gettysburg several sentences in a row start with “we cannot”
What is Repetition?
A literary technique in which a sound, word, phrase or line is repeated for emphasis.
Ex: The Gettysburg speech repeats “nation” several times
What is Text Structure ?
How an author arranges parts of a story.
Ex: Speech, short story, letter, etc.
What is a Simile?
Comparing two things by using like or as.
Ex: Cute as a kitten.
What is a Supporting Textual Evidence?
Material that serves to prove a claim.
Ex: Specific page/line #s from the text.
What is a Metaphor?
Comparing two things by stating one is another.
Ex: Her tears were a river.
What is a Point of View?
A paticular attitude or way of considering a matter.
Ex: This story was told from a childs point of view.
What is a mood?
The emotional atmosphere within the story produced by the authors use of language.
Ex: While watching the horror movie the mood set was creepy and dark.
What is Foreshadowing?
A literary device used to hint at events yet to come to keep reader guessing.
Ex: In Little Red Riding Hood’s mom told her to keep watch out for the wolf.
What is an Extended Metaphor?
A version of a metaphor that extends over the course of multiple lines, paragraphs, stanzas of purpose or poetry.
Ex: William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet.
What is Pace?
The speed at which a story is told.
Ex: The Most Dangerous Game.
What is an Author’s Tone?
The mood implied by an author’s word choice and the way that the text can make the reader feel.
Ex: The author of this book sounds sarcastic.
What is Verbal/Situational Irony?
The speaker intends to be understood as meaning something that contrasts with the literal or usual meaning of what he says.
Ex: He said he ws fine but he’s not really fine.
What is a Claim?
A statement in which a writer presents an assertion as truthful to substantiate an argument.
Ex: A teenager who wants a new cellular phone makes the following claims: Every other girl in her school has a cell phone.
What is Figurative Language?
Figuratve language is language that communicates meanings beyond the literal meanings of words.
Ex: Hyperbole, metaphor, personification, simile.
What is a Tragic Hero?
A tragic hero is a type of character in a tragedy, and is usually the protagonist.
Ex: Peter Pan
What is Foil?
A character who provides a striking contrast to another character.
Ex:Tybalt and Benvolio:
What is a Pun?
A form of word play that exploits multiple meanings of a term, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humourous or rhectorical effect.
What is a Fortune’s Fool?
Romeo believes he is being used for the god’s entertainment, like a fool in a royal court.
